LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears have missed Roschon Johnson over the past few weeks, most notably in a Monday night loss at Minnesota.

The Bears went for it on fourth-down and not-a-whole-lot in the first half, looking to extend drives and help foster a faster start. Those instances did not go well.

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D’Andre Swift couldn’t gain the necessary yard on fourth-and-1 from Chicago’s 39-yard line, giving Minnesota excellent field position and a field goal.

Swift couldn’t a yard on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter from the Vikings’ 29 that Minnesota turned into another field goal.   

If Johnson wasn’t out with a concussion, it sure seems likely that his number would’ve been called both times. He’s the team’s short-yardage back and a good one at that, with just two negative rushing attempts all season. Per NFL Pro statistics, he has a success rate of 60.4%, meaning that 29 percent of his 48 carries have resulted in a first down, a touchdown or a large chunk toward the line to gain on first and second down. He has been really good moving the sticks when the Bears absolutely need it.

While rushing is an all-11 proposition and the fourth-down failures weren’t all Swift’s fault, gaining tough yards has been Johnson’s specialty.

“He does a good job of running behind his pads,” run game coordinator/offensive line coach Chris Morgan said. “He does a good job of being decisive. He does a good job of not letting the first guy tackle him.”

There’s also the fact that Johnson’s 6-foot, 225 pounds. Swift is 5-foot-9 and (listed at) 215.

Johnson’s usage was more varied in his rookie season, with 81 carries for 352 yards while being a receiving option out of the backfield. His role has been more focused this season, but Johnson has filled it well.

“I like to think of myself as a high energy guy,” Johnson said, “someone who can keep the sticks moving, keep the drive alive and ultimately put it in the end zone.”

Swift is the featured back around here, with 71 percent of their traditional runs (not by a quarterback). He has averaged just 3.9 yards per carry this season, well under his 4.4 yard average.

Swift has been dissatisfied with his season overall, both for the overall team record and his production. He has had some huge games and plenty of explosive runs in his first Bears season after signing a three-year, $24 million deal in free agency.

“I go as the team goes, so it’s kind of hard for me to speak on my individual performance,” Swift said. “I always look at trying to find ways to be better and contribute to the success of the team, so I’m not going to say I’m having a great year when the team isn’t having a great year.”

Swift’s stats are down overall, but he’s a good runner and someone with a track record of success.

“I’m trying every week to be a solution,” Swift said. “I want to eliminate negative plays and get the yards per carry up. It has been tough with how the flow of games has been recently, but I have to come out on top of those things.”

Overall, the Bears have two talented backs under contract for the next two years at least. It seems like a stable pairing that could perform much better in tandem with greater effectiveness up front. If the Bears can add to that, then this tandem could be effective.

Johnson’s averaged 4.3 yards per tote as a rookie. Swift was at 4.6 in 229 carries last year with Philadelphia.

There’s hope for better with a Bears run game that has faltered to 22nd in 2024, and with so many other problem spots, it makes sense to run it back with Swift and Johnson and maximize their individual strengths.